The invention generally relates to large scale food process lines of the type having a series of machines or stations arranged together and performing distinct processes on articles of food product for ultimately producing packaged and frozen food product. The frozen and packaged food product affords distribution to restaurant and/or consumer grocery stores and the like. For example and without limitation, in the case of frozen chicken strips for the fast food or consumer grocery stores, such a food process line might comprise the following stations in series:—a) pre-dust, b) batter, c) bread, d) batter (again), e) fry and freeze and package and so on.
Nowadays it is conventional for a large scale food process line to be arranged truly in a “line.” That is, such a large scale food process line is put together with separate machines linked together in a linear chain to perform a chain of events. A typical line that might be as simple as pre-dust, batter, bread and fry might measure in consequence thirty to fifty feet (9 to 15 m) or more in length. It is also conventional that food-processing companies which purchase such equipment from manufacturers thereof usually specify processing rates in the thousands of pounds an hour (or thousands of kilos an hour).
There are shortcomings with the foregoing. Such process lines, because of their length, require being housed in a sizable building. Additionally, because of the high volume processing rates, utilization of such lines tends to deter innovation with trials of new food products, which trials would preferably be conducted on a much smaller scale of volume.
Given the foregoing, the invention more particularly relates to an integrated food line which accomplishes much of the same work as accomplished by the known large scale food process lines except by an integrated apparatus which is also scaled to a relatively more compact size.
Therefore, it is one object of the invention to reduce the amount of floor space required for installation of a food process line.
It is an alternate object of the invention to provide a cellular construction which allows custom selection from a diverse set of cells to be combined at will for custom results.
It is another object of the invention that such diverse cells combine together in a compact package by way of combining by vertically-stacking. That way, the choice of how many cells to include or exclude has little affect on the “footprint” (eg., floor space requirement) of the combined cells. To consider this in reverse, if a cramped floor space will accommodate at least one cell, then it should accommodate several and otherwise not be a limiting factor on how many cells can be selected.
It is an additional object of the invention to treat or process food pieces individually, in contrast to collectively in mass, for various if not all the sub-processes or stages of the custom-designed food process task.
It is a further object of the invention to eliminate belting in particular target areas (eg., as compressed between both a carrying and submerging conveyor through a bath of frying oil) because, among other shortcomings, belts tend to crush desirably large (bread) crumbs.
It is still another object of the invention to bring new physical processes, data collection and control to food processing.
Given the foregoing, these and other aspects and objects are provided according to the invention in a compact cellular food process line comprising a plurality of diverse cells. Each cell includes conveying apparatus that extends between an infeed zone for introduced food product and a discharge zone to where the introduced food product is conveyed along a pathway therefor and discharged therefrom. Each cell further includes process apparatus for interacting with the food product along the pathway thereof to achieve at least one sub-process comprising any of marinade, form, cook, dust coat, batter coat, crumb coat, fry, sear, freeze and so on.
Preferably a custom arrangement for such a compact cellular food process line in accordance with the invention is put together by a user selecting at least a first and a second of such cells, which at least first and second cells are presumptively diverse from each other according to the sub-processes thereof. Said at least first and second such cells are combined in a vertical stack such that the pathway of the second cell generally courses under the pathway of the first cell.
Optionally, either the first cell feeds the second or conversely. Preferably, however, the first cell feeds the second. That way, food product is always descending when transferring between cells.
The vertical stack will accept, needless to say, the inclusion of third or higher number cells and is not limited to just a first and second selected cell. Thus, the vertical stack can readily include a third of such cells, which is presumptively diverse according to the sub-processes of the others, and which is combined in the vertical stack such that the pathway of the third cell generally courses under the pathway of the second cell. Again, preferably the second cell feeds the third.
It is possible that a three-cell vertical stack can be taken apart, re-arranged and then put back together such that, for example, what the second and third cells swap places. For convenience of reference, it is preferred to refer to the cells by their “present” descending order in the stack, such that the “first” cell refers to the top cell, the “second” cell refers to the penultimate cell, the “third” cell refers to the ante-penultimate cell, and so on.
It is an aspect of the invention that any such cell of the vertical stack is replaceable therein with a diverse replacement cell for said stack. It is preferred if each cell's pathway generally traces a lap or substantial portions thereof about a circuit in a generally horizontal plane. It is more preferential still that each cell's pathway generally traces a circle or circular arc about a generally vertical central axis. That way, any train of carts or the like on any cell's pathway makes endless laps around the circuit.
It is desired that the compact cellular food process line in accordance with the invention includes a driven vertical axle (or spindle). Hence circular cells in accordance with the invention are arranged around the vertical axle like rings around a post. The vertical axle can be driven in rotation, and thus the conveying apparatus of certain ones of the cells can coupled to the vertical axle to harness its drive power.
It is an aspect of the invention that certain cells might multi-task or at least perform two of the above-identified sub-processes. For example, it is preferred if one such cell is configured to undertake both a sub-process of forming in combination with either a sub-process of cooking or freezing. One way to achieve the foregoing is to configure the conveying apparatus therefor as a train of clamshell carts. Such clamshell carts are serviced by power to be individually operative between open and shut extremes, such that the shut extreme applies a compressive force to achieve product-forming work. Moreover, each clamshell cart is furthermore serviced by thermal utilities comprising either a source of heat or a source of cooling. That is, the clamshell carts can be laced with heat exchanger lines through which flow either a hot medium for cooking or else a chill or freezing medium to chill or freeze the product.
The power and thermal utilities for such clamshell carts are preferably run along the vertical axle and connect to transitional-couplers (eg., rotational seals) in order to link up thereafter with fixed sources of power or thermal services.
One way to achieve inter-cell transfer of food product is to have the discharge zone of each relatively upper cell configured to discharge food product onto the infeed zone of the immediately lower cell by either being let to drop or being provided with a ramp to slide down.
A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of preferred embodiments and examples.